Solitude, as described by Kottler ( On Being a Therapist ), is ``a particular kind of aloneness that is distinct from other modes--loneliness, isolation, privacy, alienation, withdrawal, or even silence.'' As freely chosen private time, solitude, once the province of monks and shepherds, can be crucial to one's emotional health if skillfully used. People's solitary behaviors are garnered here through interviews, questionnaires and from Kottler's patients to support his premise that being alone is an art that, when developed, is fulfilling. This mundane self-help guide perceives the obvious as revelation. (July)